Mount Olive Middle School Teacher Jennifer Harper
Mount Olive Middle teacher selected for Governor’s Teacher Network
Mount Olive, N.C. – Mount Olive Middle fifth grade math teacher, Jennifer Harper, was recently selected for the Governor’s Teacher Network. She is among approximately 450 outstanding teachers from across the state selected to serve in the network for one year as instructional and professional development experts and facilitators. Network teachers will remain in their current roles but will also work to gain a deeper understanding of the State's Race to the Top funded work in one of two "pathways," both related to the establishment of Home Base.
“It is truly an honor to be chosen from the many highly qualified applicants from across the state of North Carolina to participate in this distinguished program,” states Tammy Keel, MOM principal. “Mrs. Harper will represent Wayne County Public Schools and Mount Olive Middle School well.”
Mrs. Harper is 16 year veteran mathematics teacher and is completing her fifth year at Mount Olive Middle. As a mathematics leader, she has assisted and facilitated district and school level professional development in the area of Common Core, assisted with the development of the district’s Math Common Core pacing guide, and serves as the coordinator for STAR Math and Accelerated Math at her school. She was the 2011-2012 Wayne County Public Schools Middle School Teacher of the Year and the 2013-2014 Outstanding Elementary School Mathematics Teacher of the Year.
The North Carolina Department of Public Instructions (NCDPI) states network teachers were selected through a rigorous application process. In addition to receiving specialized training related to their projects, network teachers will be provided support from the NCDPI over the course of the year and will be paid $10,000 for their work. Network teachers will design and deliver individual projects that address needs in the classroom, school or LEA level. These projects will fit within one of two pathways: Pathway 1: Professional Development Teachers will create professional development sessions and materials (face-to-face, webinars and online modules) to address classroom instructional needs and increase the PD offerings in the state-wide Professional Development system in Home Base. Pathway 2: Instructional Resources Teachers will create instructional sequences for Home Base that are aligned to the N C Standard Course of study and that consist of unit plans, lesson plans that seamlessly integrate the formative assessment process in daily practice, at least one benchmark assessment/quiz, and a final classroom summative assessment.
The Governor’s Teacher Network was developed by North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory, in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. This initiative, funded by the state’s Race to the Top grant, will provide a statewide platform for teachers to share their best work around instruction and professional development and help advance Race to the Top funded educational remodeling efforts across the state.
(For more information, contact Ken Derksen at 919-705-6125)
